The Haunting of the League
by RosyThorn
Summary: A ghost is haunting the Watchtower and the League doesn't know what to make of it. (I fixed it.)


**April 23rd, 1:04 AM (EST)**

Superman walked down one of the many halls of the watchtower, his mind drifting in the peaceful silence. The meeting of the heroes two hours ago had ended in another squabble. It baffled the man, how seamlessly they could work together during the most dire circumstances, and yet during times of peace…

Superman sighed. His colleagues were helpless. But he supposed he was as well.

The heating system jarred into action. The generally unheard rumble of air moving through shafts reverberated in the silence. The watchtower was empty, quiet. It was the middle of the night back in the states.

Coming to the end of the hall, where one of the more favored lounges with a large window overlooking the planet was located, Superman came to an abrupt halt.

A small teenage boy stood staring out the window, impossibly quiet. His bright green eyes, glowing with energy, remained locked onto the earth. He stood unmoving with a gloved hand pressed against the glass.

Superman blinked. Eyes widening a fraction upon noticing that he could see through the boy.

After inhaling slightly, he probed, "excuse me, who are you?"

The serine look on the boys face never left as he slowly turned his head in Superman's direction. The hero stiffened; the boy's movements made no sound. Unnatural green met sky blue, and then he vanished. The teen was gone.

Superman blinked again.

Cautiously glancing around, he mentally reached out for Manhunter. '_J'onn_.'

_'What is it, Kal-El? You seem distressed_.'

_'Well, either I'm finally losing it, or we have an intruder.'_

* * *

**April 27th, 7:31 PM (EST)**

"Do you think he could have been lying to you?" Green Arrow asked tentatively.

"It definitely didn't seem like it at the time!" Black Canary growled, leaning back her chair and crossing her arms. "But I honestly don't know anymore!"

"Okay, well, calm down and we'll look back over the lab report one more time," Arrow suggested with all the pretenses that he was calm himself. "J'onn ran this one for you, right?"

She nodded, glaring at file as if it was at fault. "No, I've read it through it enough times to recite it."

Meeting her partners worried gaze, she sighed and whispered, "I'm okay, Ollie." Groaning, she leaned forwards onto the table burying her face in her hands. "This case is just going to be the death of me. Nothing makes sense."

Green arrow placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you go home and sleep on it? Sometimes you have to step back to see the answer."

She peaked through her fingers to scowl at him, but froze. There in the reflection of the large window displaying the expanse of the universe she could see herself, her boyfriend, and a boy. The boy stood right next to Arrow, looking over his shoulder at the folder on the table. With a stiff glance, she confirmed that the boy wasn't standing next to her boyfriend. But there he was in the reflection.

"Arrow," she breathed shakily.

She watched through the reflection as the boy slowly raised his head to look at her. Arrow was faster. He he followed her gaze to the window and she felt him stiffen through the hand on her shoulder.

"What the hell?" He shot out of his seat, knocking his chair over backwards.

Before either of them could put together any coherent thought, the boy was gone.

* * *

**May 21st, 6:45 AM (EST)**

"-that and with how quiet Lexcorp has gotten, we can expect them to act soon. We don't know what intel they managed to get, so we'll proceed according to plan. We all need to keep our eyes and ears on the lookout for anything unusual, watch your backs." Batman concluded, shutting down the display hologram.

A few of the heroes sitting around the table nodded in confirmation, while others answered verbally with a, "understood."

"Speaking of unusual…" Hal Jordan swiveled his chair to face Manhunter. "Any updates on Superman's ghost?"

"Again, why is he my ghost?" Clark grumbled, rubbing his forehead as if to massage a headache. "I just happened to be the first to see him."

"Nuh uh, big man. When you're in the tower he's spotted with you."

"That's hardly accurate."

"There have been three more in person sightings in the last week," Manhunter answered almost robotically, cutting them off, "and four more through security footage. As always, in the footage, the entity only appears as a distortion of light. The in person sighting reports all hold the same descriptions: teenage male, white haired, green eyes, black and white suit, gives no verbal response when engaged, and the room temperature dropping a few degrees before and during his appearance. There are a number of accounts of the entity passing through solid objects as if they weren't there. These appearances last to an average of fifteen seconds, the longest being twenty four seconds. Nothing new has turned up. Nothing out of the ordinary has been picked up through any of our scanners. Zatara is investigating through supernatural means, and hasn't come to any conclusions."

"So there still has been no progress," Batman growled, expressing his displeasure over the whole situation.

The whole league had searched high and low for answers, and yet they still had no clue who the boy was, or even what he was.

"That is correct." J'onn inclined his head.

"He hasn't shown any signs of…" Superman paused, searching for the right word, "ill intent?"

"The entity has not. In the twenty three sightings, he has been seen wandering, watching people work, stargazing, and-"

Everyone sucked in a breath and reached for their weapons. Wonder Woman shot out of her seat, along with Batman.

The boy stood next to Superman.

Shazam clapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh man, oh man, is that-"

"Be quiet. Nobody move." Superman looked around the room pointedly, following his own advice.

The hero ignored the uneasiness in his gut from the lack of sound coming from the translucent ghost. The boy stared hard at something on the table. Stealing a glance, Superman followed the boy's gaze to the pen laying besides his notes. Slowly, as if tying not to scare the pen away, the teen lifted his arm, carefully reaching for it. When his gloved fingers finally pinched the utensil, he paused.

Superman could hear several of his teammates hold their breath.

Even slower than before, he lifted the pen off the table. A grin split across his face in crystal clear excitement. Then, he vanished. The pen clattered back onto the table.

* * *

**May 27th, 9:12 PM (EST)**

"I mean, I'm not an engineer, but I know my way around a jet engine! I was telling the guy that there was something wrong, that something sounded off, but he was all, 'I know engines, there's nothin' wrong with it. ' My hands were tied! No way I was going to fly a jet making that noise! Now I'm in trouble for messing around with their property without clearance and I," Green Lantern prattled on exasperatedly.

Flash strolled next to his friend, humming sympathetically in all the right places. He filed away the tease about Hal whining like a schoolgirl for later use as the man seemed to be in a foul mood. But for now he was content in walking at the agonizingly slow pace to the control center and being a momentary ear for the needy.

Just ahead of them, a faint blur caught Flash's eye. Squinting at the spot, Flash now completely ignored Hal. He blinked as the blur solidified. Superman's ghost boy faded into existence a few yards ahead of them, headed in the same direction.

Not looking away, Flash started hitting Green Lantern's shoulder. "Hal, Hal, Hal, shut up. Look."

"Holy-!"

"Shh!" Flash clamped a hand on Hal's mouth. "I'm going to sneak up on him and touch him."

Green Lantern sent him an alarmed glance. Flash smiled.

"For science; nobody's touched him yet."

In a blink, Flash was standing right behind the boy, who walk at an unbelievably slow pace. Hesitating, Flashed worked past his unease and reached out. His hand, looking for purchase on the boys shoulder, slipped right through.

The boy froze. With slow, fluid movements, he looked down at the intruding appendage. Turning around, his eyes followed the limb all the way up to the man's face. The boy's eyes widened.

Drawing back, Flash muttered, "well, that isn't creepy at all."

"Flash?"

"My hand went right through him, GL," he informed, not looking away from the bright green eyes.

Cautiously, Flash knelt down on one knee, ending up just below eye level with the kid.

"Can you speak?"

For a moment, it seemed as though he would not get a response. But the boy opened his mouth and formed words, but no sound came out.

"I can't hear you, kid. Sorry." The Flash gave him a grin. "But you can nod, right?"

A delayed, slow nod came as answer.

"Do you know where you are?"

A nod, again, the action was just as slow and delayed.

"Do you know who we are? Who I am?"

A nod. His wide eyes never blinking or straying from Flash's own.

"Why are you here?"

"He can't answer that one, idiot." Green lantern crossed his arms.

Flash sighed dejectedly. He hadn't noticed Hal's approach, but the man was right.

The boy's eyes widened. His head slowly swiveled towards Hal. Flash watched in interest as the boy's shoulders scrunched up as he did so. Then the boy vanished.

"That… was admittedly unsettling." Hal mumbled.

What Flash had just seen sunk in and he shot up, grabbing Hal's shoulders. "Oh man, GL, the kid. He was going too slow. I've seen it before. When I'm running, you slow pokes move just like that!"

Blinking at the speedsters outburst, Green Lantern hummed, "he's slow? Yeah, we all noticed that, Sparky."

"No, nonono! I think he's traveling through time at a different speed!" Flash dismissed the snark. "C'monWeGottaTellManhutnter!"

"Flash, slow… down. And he's gone." Hal sighed. "It's amazing what I put up with."

* * *

**June 1st, 2:07 PM (EST)**

Much to Superman's annoyance, the ghost haunting the tower had become known to all the League members as Superman's ghost. He'd been the first to spot the boy, and as Flash continuously felt the need to state quite loudly for everyone to hear, Superman had experienced more encounters than anyone else. Not only had he experienced more encounters, but the nature of the encounters suggested the boy had chosen to hang around Superman specifically.

Like now, for instance. Only after a few minutes into Superman's shift in the control room, the boy appeared in the chair next to him with his feet tucked up and arms around his knees. He watched Superman with those eerie green eyes, as he worked. Superman did his best to ignore him like Bruce had suggested, but not before giving the boy a small smile and nod.

Red Tornado contacted the tower, requesting back up. Under the ever present stare, Superman was able to get Flash and Supergirl to the android in forty eight seconds. He kept a com linked to theirs just in case, but wasn't too worried about outcome of the fight with those three working together.

Then through the comlink a child's voice moaned. Superman blinked, then asked where the noise came from. Flash informed him that no one on their end could hear it, and Superman frowned. He glanced around the room, uncertain what to do, because he was definitely hearing a child crying.

His eyes landed on the mysteriously silent, translucent boy. His head was tucked down on his knees and he shook in time with the moaning sobs. Pulling the com out of his ear, Superman confirmed that the crying was coming from the com, before slipping it back in.

Standing, he hesitantly approached. Slowly, He knelt down, unsure hands hovering. A particularly loud moan escaped the boy. It sent a shiver up Superman's spine. The cries sounded eerie, wrong. But they were the cries of a child, so the hero pressed on, placing a hand on the boy's back.

His hand slipped through, like he was a hologram. The space where the boy should have been felt unnaturally cold, but not in the same way a fridge or ice water might feel. Superman experienced this feeling before when he'd slept awkwardly on his arm as it hung off the bed out from under the covers, cold, numb, and slightly tingly.

The boy's head slowly rose, his toxic green eyes wet with tears. Then he vanished, the crying ceasing.

Again, Superman stared at the spot the boy had been.

June 3rd, 3:00 AM, (EST)

As a Justice League member, Batman was required to spend at least forty-eight hours in the tower once a month, if circumstances allow it. He preferred to put in his hours all at once to get them out of the way. Twenty-six hours into his stay, Batman spilled over Gotham police files in his private quarters. His pen sailed across the notepad, making notes of what the police did not know.

He paused. Feeling an unnatural drop of temperature in the room, Batman flipped the page of his notebook. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the boy. He started jotting down what he saw, never giving away that he'd noticed him.

The boy looked tired, maybe even ill. Desperate determination filled his eyes as they locked onto the tablet on the desk next to Batman. As the boy moved, his hair swayed weightlessly, as if he were underwater. The closer he got to the tablet, the more translucent he became, until eventually Batman couldn't see him. Batman knew the boy was still there. The eerie chill still lingered. A few moments after the boy vanished, the tablet screen flickered.

The Dark Knight waited. Then, as if someone were messing with a audio jack, scratching popping sounds filled the room. The screen flickered again.

Barely audible through the static, echoey, ineligible, and almost alien words repeated. Over and over until the lights in the room flickered in rhythm with the repeated sounds. Batman recognized the strange noises the boy's voice made for what they were almost immediately. Backwards. The boy was speaking backwards.

He clicked off the recording device in his belt and then played it in reverse. The room went silent as the recording played. Even the lights stopped flickering.

"-e_ase, help me! I'm trapped! Please, help me! I'm trapped! Please, help me! I'm-_" the desperate voice of the child cut short as the recording ended.

Batman turned the recorder on again and asked, "how?"

The static returned and the lights flashed violently.

More clearer than before the voice spoke a single word again and again and again. Speeding up and increasing volume each time it was spoken. The screen cracked, the lights flared, and then everything stopped. Batman traced his fingers on the cracks in the screen as the temperature lifted in the room.

He played the recording backwards.

"_FENTONFENTONFENTONFENTONFENTONFENTONFENTON -_"

He stopped it. He stood, then marched out of the room. He had a new lead.

Fenton.

* * *

**June 8th, 4:30 PM (EST)**

Dr. Madeline Fenton looked tired. She held her shoulders and her chin high, speaking professionally, and calmly. But all Superman could see behind her courteous smile was a mother of a missing child so worn down there was almost nothing left. This was his first impression of the doctor.

Her husband shook his hand like an excited child. But the bags under his eyes showed his exhaustion as well. Contrasting from Maddie Fenton's, Jack Fenton's eyes sparkled with hope.

Superman started formally explaining the situation when Maddie interrupted.

"I'm sorry, Superman, but that really won't be necessary. The information you provided us with in the file was enough to determine exactly what is haunting you and why. We also know what needs to be done." She paused, looking at her husband uncertainly. She sighed, and looked at each of the heroes before her. Nervous. "The solution is… a little drastic. But the only solution we could come up with."

Batman frowned at her, while Wonder Woman motioned for her to continue.

"We'll need to build a portal." She said matter of factly. "We'll need to built it where-… the ghost is."

Superman's eyebrows lifted. "A portal?"

"Yes, a dimensional portal. We've brought the blue-prints with us for you to look over."

Jack set down a cardboard tube on the table, watching the heroes hopefully.

"Wait a minute," Flash said, holding up a hand. "Don't you get rid of ghosts with salt circles and candles? Why…What's with the portal?"

Jack suddenly launched into explaining the science behind ghosts and the dimension they usually reside in. Glancing at his colleagues, Superman tried to discern whether he was just not following the doctor's explanation, or if he actually sounded crazy to everyone. Wonder Woman's eyebrows were halfway up her forehead, crinkling it, while Flash and Manhunter's faces pinched in confusion.

"Dr. Fenton," Batman cut in, expression unreadable.

Jack clammed up immediately, looking worried.

"What are you not telling us? Why did the ghost give us your name?"

Both of the scientists floundered to keep themselves calm, denying withholding anything from the heroes.

"We're done here." The dark knight stood, everyone following his lead.

Seemingly unwarranted horror shattered any pretenses Maddie had built. As Batman grabbed the doorknob, Maddie jumped out of her chair, reaching out desperately as if to stop them.

"Wait, wait, please! Don't go," she begged. "We know the ghost! That's what we're hiding!"

Superman froze, eye's wide.

"And-and we know, at least we think we know what happened to him and why he's haunting you." Shame kept her husband's eyes on the table, but she held Batman's hard gaze with desperate determination. "Don't leave."

Superman had a sinking feeling in his gut, not over the revelation, but over her desperation. He should have put it together sooner, but he realized that they were not going to charge them for their services in getting the ghost out of the tower. They were going to ask for the League to search for their missing son. Batman had informed them in the briefing before meeting the scientists, their son disappeared from their home four months ago without any trace or clue as to what happened to him. The chances of finding a missing child after the first week were… exceedingly low. The chances of finding the child alive were even lower.

Batman sat back down, the Fenton's watching his every movement. "You have five minutes."

"Phantom, he's a ghost that haunts-... used to haunt Amity Park. He appears as a teenage boy, though his real age is unknown. He's extremely powerful and dangerous, he's caused our city hundreds of thousands in property damage alone." She paused, biting her lip. "You see, me and Jack, we've already built a portal to the dimension Jack was describing to you. Some-some time ago we held an expedition into the the ghosts' dimension… We were confronted by Phantom and in a panic and self defence I shot him with the Fenton-Bazooka. The Fenton-Bazooka temporarily rips holes in the barrier between worlds. A useful side effect of these temporary portals is that they have a tendency to suck up anything within a close proximity. The only problem is that it's built to make portals from our world to theirs, not the other way around. We believe Phantom is stuck between the two dimensions."

Jack fidgeted under the silence that followed.

"And a portal will free him?" Flash asked. "Why doesn't he just use yours?"

"There's too much ghost activity in Amity," Jack responded immediately. "We think he may not be stable enough where he is to handle all the ectoplasmic energy there."

"So you left him?"

Maddie glared at Flash. "My son went missing that day. I've had more on my mind than the comfort and safety of a ghost that tried to kill us."

"But we can get rid of Phantom for you!" Jack lit up. "We just need to build a portal where he is and he can step through! We're sure of it. Even Phantom knows we're likely to be the only ones capable of getting him out. That's probably why he gave you our names! -unless he's bent on revenge-," he mumbled, then continued. "We won't even charge you. We just ask that you help us find our son in return. If anyone could find him, it'd be you guys!"

J'onn inclined his head, and took a moment to make eye contact with his colleagues. Then he answered, "give us time to consider it."

June 10th, 9:15 AM (EST)

The Fentons worked fast, Superman would give them that. Only an hour after arriving the lab that had been given to them to work in, they already had computer monitors and strange devices setup all over the room, and a hexagon frame for the portal.

Even though he was no longer in the room with them, he could still hear them discussing calculations that he'd never hope to understand. Something about being in space made the algorithm of something else much more complicated.

Superman sighed, uneasy about having two uncredited scientists building a dimensional portal in the tower. He sat down on a couch in the popular lounge where he'd first spotted the ghost boy and opened his book. Keeping an ear on the Fentons, he read.

A better part of an hour passed this way, until a mop of white hair appeared, leaning over the open book, and partially blocking Superman's view. Again, the unnerving silence coming from the boy sitting next to him set him on edge. But he only leaned over a bit and attempted to continue reading.

Phantom. Danny Phantom. That was the boy's name. The dead boy's name. Superman looked down at the ghost's face, only able to see part of it. He watched his eye move slowly across the page and back again, and Superman waited until he was done. Then he flipped the page, still watching the boy, Danny. The second time Superman flipped the page, Danny blinked, then looked up at Superman. Surprise flickered across his face when Superman met his eyes.

"Will you follow me?" Superman asked softly, remembering that Danny had been able to hear Flash and Green Lantern.

The boy nodded, eyes wide. Disappointingly, the boy vanished from sight as Superman stood. But Jack and Maddie had explained to him that even though he disappears, it doesn't mean he's gone. So, trusting the Fentons, Superman walked slowly towards the lab. He received a couple of odd looks for his slow pace, but he merely nodded politely, explaining nothing.

He reached the lab, and punched in the code for the door. The door swooshed open, revealing the two scientists hunched over one of the monitors. The lights in the hall and the lab flickered sporadically. The Fentons heads snapped up as some of the strange devices started beeping and blaring. The two rushed into action, checking the devices' screens and switching things off. Maddie snatched up what looked like some sort of thermal gun, and pointed it at the door. Slowly, she scanned the area with the gun, eyes locked on the little screen.

Eventually, she stopped moving it and looked up. She blinked a few times when she saw Superman in the doorway, then glanced back down at the spot next to him.

"Well," she scowled, "someone is excited to see us."

The lights stopped flickering and the air became a little warmer.

"Is he gone?" Superman asked after a second of silence.

"Yes, well, sort of. He's probably in the same spot, he's just much less in our dimension now. Maybe his excitement caused him to slip. That seems to be the pattern in your reports, anyway," she mused, almost to herself.

"Does that mean he's…" Superman stepped inside the lab, out of the doorway, "more in the other dimension?"

Maddie's lips thinned as she thought over an answer. "Not necessarily. We could be wrong, but Jack and I believe the barrier between our worlds is…. hmmm… think of it this way: imagine an ant next to a thin wall made of water. On each side of the wall, you have the water's surface tension. Now, Imagine the ant being pushed or pulled through the wall by another force stronger than the surface tension. The ant makes it completely through the first barrier, but only halfway through the second. That's what we believe has happened to Phantom. It's not that Phantom is stuck in between both dimension, the ghost is stuck partly in the in-between and our realm."

Superman nodded, eyebrows scrunched. "So what happens if he… is no longer connected to our 'realm' and… gets stuck in the middle of the wall, in the water between two barriers? Is that a risk we should worry about?"

Maddie hummed. "It could be a potential danger for the ghost, I suppose. But Jack and I believe that time may not be passing the in-between. So if he were to get stuck, he'd be stuck in the same moment for eternity or until someone got him out. We believe that's why Phantom's movements are so dramatically slow, time is moving slower for him, and faster for us, because he's partially stuck in a place where time does not move at all. It's either that or Phantom would completely cease to exist, becoming part of the void between worlds." She shrugged, returning to her work. "Originally that's what Jack and I thought had happened to him, but apparently not. The putrid ghost would be doing us a favor if he did slip back into the void, though."

Superman frowned.

* * *

**June 11th, 5:00 PM (CST)**

Jazz stared owlishly at the man in the dark cowl on the doorstep. "May I help you?"

"I'm here to investigate your brother's case upon your parents' request," he told her respectfully.

She eyed him, steeling her face against the onslaught of emotions at the mention of Danny. Batman looked out of place in her neighborhood. Somehow she couldn't picture him walking up to their door and ringing the doorbell, and waiting like anyone else would, like he had.

She lifted an eyebrow, keeping the door open only wide enough for her shoulders and no more. "You're the real Batman. Here. In Amity. Wanting into my house?"

Batman gave her a sharp nod. "Your parents are currently with the Justice League taking care of a ghost that's been haunting us. In return, we are going to look for Daniel."

This time, Jazz couldn't keep her face cool, as her eyes prickled. She knew all this. Her parents had told her speedily as they raced out the door, claiming that everything was top secret. She had briefly wondered what ghost in it's right mind would haunt the League, and what exactly had possessed the League to turn to her parents for help. Clearing her throat, she said, "you should probably wait until my parents get back."

"They're busy and won't be back for some time, and I'd prefer to search the house without them." He told her bluntly.

She sighed, unable to dispute the fact that her parents were going to be gone for the week, and maybe longer. She opened the door for him to come in.

Batman immediately stepped into the living room, studying the pictures on the walls and shelves. It didn't escape his notice how Jazz hovered on the threshold with her arms crossed tightly. It looked as though she was either shielding herself, or physically trying to hold herself together.

"This is Samantha Manson, and Tucker Foley, Daniel's friends, correct?" Batman pointed at a picture of the three of them.

"Yeah." Jazz sniffed, wiping away a stray tear, trying to remain calm.

"They did not see Daniel on February thirteenth, the day he went missing."

She held herself tighter, bunching up her sleeves in her palms and nodded.

"But you did?"

She nodded again in confirmation, sucking in a steadying breath through her nose and releasing it through her mouth. "He came and got breakfast, then went up to his room to do homework. His-his room is upstairs, if you want to look at it."

Batman took a turn to nod. With her eyes cast to the floor, she lead him up to the bedroom.

"Nothing's been touched." She stopped at the door at the end of the hall.

She didn't move to open the door, so Batman took the initiative and went inside. A thin layer of dust coated everything in the messy room. The boy's backpack sat on the bed, unopened. A few papers lay across the desk, but no homework.

"He-he, uh, really liked space." Jazz blurted into the silence, blushing and holding herself tighter when Batman looked at her.

"He came in here?" He prompted.

"Yeah," she answered, her voice tight. She glanced around the room like the sight of it physically pained her. "I-I-I went to my room to-to study around one, and at seven-thirty I came to tell him to get dinner, but he was gone. I assumed he went to Tucker's without telling. The next morning Mom and Dad were kind of upset he didn't come home last night so at ten they called the Foleys and… he wasn't anywhere."

Jazz fidgeted under Batman's gaze, eventually looking down at her shoes. "I'm sorry, but may I leave? I don't like being… I can't..."

"Of course, Jasmine."

Releaf turned into a dead weight when Batman followed her out of the room. But he put a comforting hand on her shoulder and lead her downstairs. He set her down at the table and got her a glass of water and a tissue box from the counter. Blowing her nose, she couldn't help but be distracted again by how out of place Batman looked, sitting down at the Fenton dining table with his cape billowing around the chair he'd pulled out.

He leaned forwards, elbows on his knees, face soft. "Are you up to telling me about the day again, but sparing no details?"

She nodded, taking a sip of water before she started. Halfway through, he stopped her.

"Jasmine, you're lying to me."

The statement threw her off balance, and her eyes watered. "I'm not, that's what happened, it's everything I know."

He only looked at her as her chin trembled. "I'm very good at detecting lies, Jasmine. Even the best are hard pressed to fool me. And you don't seem to think your brother is missing. You're speaking like you know he's dead."

"HE'S BEEN MISSING FOR FOUR MONTHS!" She exploded in her defence. But she fell back into her chair with a hiccuping sob when the man didn't react. She weakly tried again, "I'm telling the truth."

"Why do you think Danny is dead, Jasmine?"

She flinched, and murmured, "I don't."

"Jasmine."

Closing her eyes, she shook her head.

The hero left his chair to kneel beside her, placing a hand over her trembling fists. "It's been four months, Jasmine, you can't hold onto this. Tell me what happened."

A wet sob choked her. "Please, don't arrest them," she whispered. "they didn't know. They didn't know. _They didn't know!_" She ended with a wail, covering her face in her hands.

Tensely, Batman asked again, "Jazz, what happened?"

"I swear they didn't know. They still-still don't know! I t-tried to-to tell them! But it was like- it was like they couldn't hear me! But he's gone !" She cried hysterically. "I'm sorry! I should have told them sooner! I'm _so sorry_! _I'm sorry_!"

"Jasmine, look at me, look at me, you need to breathe." He pulled her hands away from her face and she looked up at him, moaning out sobs as she took in short breaths.

Batman watched as she calmed herself. He didn't know exactly which technique she used to get her breathing under control, but he could see her mentally counting, bobbing her head slightly with each count.

She apologized again with a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault. If-if I had told them, then he would still- would still-"

"Jazz, I need you to tell me what happened to your brother that day."

She looked down at her lap. "Please, it wasn't their fault. They didn't know…"

"Who isn't at fault?"

Wringing her hands together, Jazz whispered, "my parents."

* * *

**June 11th, 11:36 PM (EST)**

Maddie was unaware of the deep scowl on her face as she took a quick sip of her cold coffee, eyes never leaving the computer screen in front of her. She ran through the calculations one more time, pointedly ignoring the chill creeping over her.

She didn't notice Batman enter the room, nor did she notice how he stopped do observe her and the ghost boy next to her. The translucent boy hovered over her shoulder with his spectral tail sticking up into the air above him. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as his eyes traveled back and forth, reading the numbers on the screen and clearly not understanding them.

"Dr. Fenton," Batman finally disrupted the scene, causing Maddie to jump.

She put a hand on her chest and let out a breath. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I spoke with your daughter."

Maddie stilled, staring at the hero. "You spoke to Jazz."

"Yes, about the disappearance of Daniel. She was the last person that saw him," he stated what she already knew bluntly.

Her lips thinned. "I don't like strangers speaking to my children without permission or without me and Jack present," she snapped. But she sighed deeply a second later, looking down, and drooping like a plant sapped of all life. She whispered, tired, heartbroken,"she believes Phantom is her brother."

The boy in question faded from view, tongue sticking out as he tried to decipher the numbers on the screen, unaware.

Batman waited, letting the silence drive Maddie to speak.

"He isn't. There's no way. The idea of a half ghost is ridiculous in itself, completely impossible. Me and Jack have seen both of them in the same place at the same time on multiple occasions, and-and-and there would have been signs. I would have noticed. I would have." She sucked in a breath. "And Phantom's attacked us, tried to kill Jack, stolen from us, from others. He's kidnapped, lied, destroyed buildings, endangered children, our children . That is not my child. I would have… I would know." She ended confidently, moving back to her computer screen.

Displaying nothing but stoic indifference, Batman asked, "are you sure there is no way for someone to be both human and ghost."

Maddie snorted. "That would be like it being midnight and noon in the same place at the same time, bringing two opposite sides of the world together and still maintaining what defines it as night and day. You're either dead or you're not, there's no in between, a dusk, maybe, a vague mix of the two. But there's no place where it's both midnight and noon. No way to mix the two."

"Jazmine seems convinced there's a way." His deep voice remained neutral, yet demanding.

"She's confused. Either her brain is conjuring stories to cope, or Phantom had her fooled, tricked." Her voiced turned to venom, dripping with hatred. Eyes widening suddenly, she whipped her head around towards Batman. "You didn't tell her that… that…"

"I did not mention Phantom."

The doctor deflated with releaf.

"The League has decided that after Phantom is free he will be our responsibility. You are not to engage with him once the portal is open and he has come through," he stated and Maddie blinked.

"No! You can't!" Maddie burst out, face reddening with fury. "That ghost is powerful and dangerous, and is a master at lying! You will have no idea what you're dealing with! It's hurt my daughter! I won't let you take that chance at justice away from me!"

Batman didn't even blink, though Maddie didn't know if the action was ever visible from beneath the cowl. "We will investigate, and see that justice is served where it's deserved."

Jack stepped into the room, juggling two trays of food as Maddie's voice rose. "You don't understand! This ghost is powerful and dangerous, we can't just-!"

"Madds?" Jack cut her off. "What's going on?"

She gestured angrily at the man beside her. "They want deal with Phantom when he's freed and they want us to have nothing to do with it!"

Jack frowned, setting the trays down. "Why?"

Batman considered Jack. The man wasn't upset, nor demanding, just confused and seeking reason.

"Reports of Phantom's character are widely conflicting with nothing concrete for the League to work with. We're going to make our own assessment." He told them.

"He's dangerous! You can't-!" Maddie stopped when her husband placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Madds, if anyone can handle Phantom it's the Justice League! They know what they're doing and know how to handle these kinds of things. It's the whole reason they're here, right?"

Maddie frowned at him, and he looked back imploringly.

She sighed tiredly, then bit out a, "fine."

Sending a scowl at both men, she want back to the screen.

Jack tried to think of something to say to her. Coming up with nothing he looked to Batman, only to find him gone.

* * *

**June 30th, 9:00 PM (EST)**

Jack felt jittery. He wasn't sure if the energy in his chest and fingers and toes came from a positive emotion or a negative one, but his smile only faltered when he thought of Danny. His son would have been so impressed that they were building a portal in space for the Justice League . Danny would have wanted to meet them, maybe even see the portal.

He pushed those thoughts aside as Maddie stated her actions aloud, keeping the heroes present and Jack on the same page.

"The machine is on." Maddie said, all business, and maybe a touch of bitterness. "Jack will add power and the portal will be live in T-minus two minutes."

She looked over at him, and he gave a affirmative nod. Joining him behind the blast shield she asked, "is Phantom still here?"

Manhunter checked the monitor. "He's current standing beside Superman."

The timer on the console counted down and Jack's fingers twitched over the power switch, as his eyes flickered over to Superman and the space next to him. The man of steel caught his eye and nodded. Jack beamed.

Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Manhunter, and Batman all stood behind the blast shield across the room from the empty hexagon. A small part of Jack wanted Phantom to attack as soon as he came out, just to witness his heroes in action. But he knew it was unlikely. Maddie said she believed that being trapped between the worlds for so long would have Phantom completely drained.

That was just a theory though.

"10… 9… 8… 7...6…" Jack counted, excitement buzzing in his palms now. "5… 4… 3… 2… 1!"

He yanked the switch down. The machine buzzed and hummed with energy. Greenlight flickered, electricity cackling, the smell of burnt copper filled the room, and the hairs on the back of Jack's neck rose. A loud clap, or crack, accompanied by a blinding flash of light burst from the portal.

When the light settled, Jack pulled up his goggles to rub his eyes and blink away the spots. When he could see again he gasped.

"MADDS WE DID IT!"

The eerie green of the Ghost Zone swirled in the machine they labored over for hours upon hours.

"It's not over yet, Sweety." Maddie said lowly.

Jack glanced around. Everyone stared at the portal with bated breath. Maddie shifted beside him, reaching for something on her belt. Before she could grab it though, Batman had her wrist.

"I said no weapons, Dr. Fenton."

Maddie huffed, as he grabbed her collapsible ecto gun from her.

The rest of the heroes waited tensely. Wonder Woman had her hand on her whip, while Green Lantern's ring glowed.

A small gloved hand hesitantly poked out of the green, before the rest of the ghost stumbled out after it.

Phantom caught his balance but didn't move for a second, staring at his feet like he couldn't believe he had them.

"Danny Phantom?" Superman broke the silence, and the ghost flinched.

His head shot up, eyes wide, but dull compared to the green behind him. They darted around the room, at anything and everything. But they stopped, landing on Jack.

Jack couldn't look away. Something in the ghosts eyes stole his breath.

Superman opened took a step towards the ghosts, hands up in a sign of peace. "Phantom, they-"

The boy's face crumpled, tears instantly running down his face.

"...Dad…"

Before Jack could process what the ghost said, it shot forward, through the shield, and slammed into Jack. He fell, and Maddie and others shouted. But his entire focus was on the trembling ghost hugging him tightly. Face slack in shock, he reached to touch the ghosts head, brush the hair way from his face, so he could see those eyes again.

Before he could a flash of light, similar to the portals light only smaller, burst from the boy.

Then suddenly it was his Danny, sobbing harshly, yet quietly against his chest.

"Danny?" He breathed. Then he scrambled to wrap his arms around the boy. It was his boy, he knew. He knew it was his boy. "Danny!"

A sob heaved out of him as he tilted the boys head up to see his face. Blue eyes met his and his breath hitched.

"Dad…" Danny smiled softly, before his rolled back and his eyes fluttered shut.

Seeing him limp, Jack finally noticed how pale, skeletal, and sick he was.

"Danny- Danny boy. No. Don't. Wake-wake up-" he adjusted his hold to support his head.

Batman knelt in front of him, putting fingers on his child's neck, checking for a pulse. In all honesty, Jack forgot the League was there. Blinking, he realized someone was wailing. Daring to glance away from his son, he saw Maddie crying, being held back Wonder Woman.

He looked back at Danny. "Batman, is he-"

"He's breathing and has a weak pulse. He needs immediate medical attention."

Jack inhaled sharply, letting it out just as harshly, and nodded.

"Manhunter, Superman, get him to the medical wing."

His grip tightened on his son. Superman put a hand on Jack's shoulder and knelt down as Batman stood.

"Dr. Fenton, you need to give him to me." The man of steel spoke firmly in a low voice.

Jack shook his head. "He's my son. He's my son. He's back. My son is back."

"I know. But he is dying and will die if he doesn't receive medical attention soon. You need to let go, so I can help him."

Jack couldn't see clearly anymore, everything was blurry and his face was wet. But he nodded, trusting the hero to help, and handed him gently over.

He watched as Danny's head lulled against Superman's chest, and before he could blink, they were both gone.

His son was dying and it was his fault. But he was alive and home. That was so much more than they had before.

Maddie still screamed and struggled against Wonder Woman, who held steadfastly.

Numbly, Jack got to his feet.

"_MY BABY! BRING HIM BACK, THAT'S MY BABY_!" His wife screeched.

He didn't notice the uncertain look Wonder Woman gave him as he approached, or how Green Lantern tried to ask him what he was doing. He grabbed Maddie's shoulders and gently pushed her away from the super hero.

Maddie hit his chest over and over and over, screaming, " he's our baby! He was our baby! And we shot him! I shot him! I- I-I- Jack I-"

Her punches slowed, and Jack pulled her into a tight hug. She sobbed wordlessly into his chest, arms tucked between them.

"Jazz tried to-," Maddie attempted to express, but her body shuddered, another wail escaping her.

Jack looked at the ceiling, tinted green by the portal, tears falling. Releasing a shaky breath, Jack bowed his head until it rested on hers.

"I know, Madds. I know. We messed up. We-" he choked. "But we'll make it right. We'll do everything we can to make it right."

* * *

**Unknown**

Danny's eyes opened before he truly woke up. But he floated slowly into awareness. It took him a long few seconds to recognize the human standing by his bed, speaking softly. It felt like his brain was working overtime just to take in stimuli, never mind deciphering it.

"Jazz…?" He wheezed, barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, Danny. I'm right here." She gently grabbed his hand and squeezed.

Her hand was the most warm and solid thing he'd ever felt in his life. A noise had his eyes fluttering open again, but they didn't really focus on anything.

"It's okay, Danny. Go back to sleep."

* * *

**Unknown**

Danny blinked. One moment, he'd been asleep, and the next he was awake. He stared up at the dark ceiling. The machines beside the bed gave a constant low hum, and his own breaths were echoed by someone else's.

A warm, heavy mass pressed against his side with an equally warm, heavy, and very incredibly present arm draped across his torso.

Jazz's mouth hung open, slack and drooling ever so slightly. Her forehead rested against his shoulder, her head barely on the pillow. Someone had draped a blanket over her as she slept on top of his.

For a moment, his shakily hand hovered over her, afraid to actually touch her. He retracted his hand and looked around the room. He hadn't been in this room before. It wasn't quite like the lounges, or the labs, but an odd mixture of the two.

Slowly, he lifted the blankets on the opposite side. He twisted carefully, working his way out from under his sister without waking her up. Slipping off the bed, he eased himself onto the tile floor.

Propped up by his hands, Danny panted. Already his head spun, and his skin felt hot and clammy. Once the dizzy spell passed, he hoisted himself up using the bed frame.

He trembled all over with the strain. He didn't understand why. Taking a sloppy step along the bedside, Danny kept his eyes locked on the door. His arms held most of his weight via the bed as he took another few.

The door slid open. Danny fell.

He blinked and Superman loomed over him. He was back in bed, and Jazz was gone. The man didn't seem to notice Danny staring at him as he was busy wiping a small trickle of blood on Danny's arm and putting a bandage over the leaking prick in the inside of his elbow. His large hand held Danny's limp arm gently as he worked.

He could hear the hero breathing, hear Jazz's soft breaths a ways off, his own breath in his nose.

The lights hummed softly above them, casting soft shadows.

Every sound, every color, every touch was just so loud, so close, so vivid.

"Hey, there."

He looked from where Superman's warm hand pressed against his wrist, holding it still, to the man's face.

"You're awake," he spoke softly, a near whisper.

Danny didn't say anything.

"You fell a minute ago trying to go somewhere, ripped your IV out. I'm just cleaning you up while we wait for someone qualified to put it back in. Are you feeling alright?"

Danny twisted his hand around, trying to get ahold of the hand on his wrist. Superman quickly figured out what he wanted and slipped his and into his. Danny squeezed it, pulling it closer and grabbing hold with his other hand. He felt like if he let go he would slip back, fade into nothing again.

"I'm-" his voice gave out. "I'm here."

"Yeah, son. You're here. You're safe. You made it back safe."

Tears slid down his face. "No one heard me."

"Batman heard you, and you're back now. You're sister is here as well. Do you want me to wake her up?"

Holding onto Superman's hand like a lifeline, Danny dared to look away towards Jazz.

She slept soundly on the hospital bed next to his, arm still stretched across the mattress.

"Jazz," Superman called her, making Danny flinch. "Jazz, he's awake."

His sister blinked blearily, before here eyes widened. In seconds she was by his side.

"Welcome back, dorkus."

Danny smiled.


End file.
